After the meeting, I returned to the Inferesse Family mansion without much happening.

I was still dealing with the same issues I had been dealing with before. Trying to get the family back on its feet was the biggest of these. Of course, now that I would be getting help from the alliance, it wasn’t such a big deal anymore.

That aside, the family’s main sources of income were generally illegal arms dealing, drug trafficking, and, surprisingly, security services.

Now, the security services part had suffered a bit due to the family’s loss of power, but the factories used for drug and arms trafficking were still operational. Production had only stopped due to financial problems.

The Inferesse Family didn’t have an overly large share in the drug trade sector. In fact, it only accounted for seventeen percent of their main income. The main income was from arms dealing. Considering my knowledge of the future, arms dealing could be brought to a much better position than it was before.

But there was another sector I was thinking of entering.

An industry that wasn’t particularly mafia-like but would be quite useful to me.

Creating a bar chain.

From the outside, it might not seem like much, but it would be a useful method for gathering information, developing relationships, and laundering illegally obtained money. It was also relatively easier than other options…

In short, I had already mapped out the steps I needed to take to grow financially. All I had to do was stick to the plan.

Except…

Sitting in my office, staring at the screens and plans in front of me, I sighed deeply.

Not hearing from Alex was bothering me.

I narrowed my eyes slightly and paused at the fleeting thought that crossed my mind.

Something couldn’t have really happened to him in that chaos, could it?

Yes, Alex is talented, but couldn’t he have been hit by a stray bullet in such an environment? It’s not impossible, after all. No matter how talented you are, sometimes you can simply be… unlucky.

I took my eyes off the ceiling I’d been staring at for a while, shook my head slightly from side to side, and sat up straight in my chair.

I’ll wait a little longer. He’s a smart guy, and he knows our plan pretty well. Maybe he has a reason…

I’ll trust him.

~knock! ~knock! ~knock!

I turned off all the screens on my desk, clasped my hands in front of me, and turned my eyes to the door that had caught my attention.

“Come in.”

The person entering the office was Stephen, as usual. I was now used to seeing his expression, which showed no sign of his age.

As the door closed behind him, he approached my desk and bowed respectfully before speaking.

“There is a message from the Bluelet Family, sir.”

Oh… right, they’re also in a complicated situation.

“Go on.”

“Margaret Bluelet wishes to invite you to the Bluelet Mansion.”

Margaret Bluelet… the very heiress we predicted would win the succession, and therefore chose to support.

I had told her to let us know if she needed help, but… I wasn’t expecting her to contact us this soon.

“What reason did she give?”

“She started by thanking us, saying she successfully won the succession and would have been in a much tougher spot without our support. She mentioned she wants to discuss the current situation and future.”

I paused involuntarily.

Huh?

Without our support…?

What support?

Also… has she already won the succession? That quickly?

I furrowed my brows and fell into thought for a moment.

But then I suddenly paused, my mouth involuntarily falling open at the thought that came to mind, though I quickly composed myself since I was in Stephen’s presence.

“Get a car ready. I’m going to the Bluelet Mansion.”

Of course.

Makes sense.

Makes perfect sense.

“As you wish, sir.”

Now everything fell into place.

*******

The Bluelet Family’s mansion was located a little further outside the city. Since it wasn’t that far from the Inferesse Family, the journey was quite quick. After receiving the invitation and informing them that I was on my way, and of course wanting to give them some time to prepare, I arrived at the Bluelet Family’s residence in just half an hour.

The Bluelet family’s territory was quite similar to the Planar family’s in terms of size and appearance. After all, their influence and position in the hierarchy were similar. The differences lay elsewhere.

That aside, I was met with a much more… positive reception than at the Planar Family’s territory. The welcome there wasn’t negative, of course, but it was quite neutral. It was as if they didn’t really want to engage with me. In the Bluelet Family, however…

“Welcome, Sir Inferesse.”

The servants’ attitudes and expressions, as well as their offer to fulfill any request I might have, gave me a much stronger sense that I was ‘someone important’.

Even though I was treated with such courtesy, I didn’t compromise myself much. I responded to most things with short, one-word answers or simply nodded my head up and down.

The place I finally arrived at was a guest room, decorated in a colorful and thoughtful way, quite different from that simple meeting room. Of course, it had a table and chairs arranged so that two people could comfortably sit and talk.

During the time I waited in the room, the refreshments kept coming. And the wait wasn’t excessively long.

Not long after I entered the room, the door swung open wide, and the figure I expected to see entered.

Women, no matter how powerful they were, generally preferred fancy clothes. However, the woman who entered, Margaret Bluelet, had come in more ‘formal’ attire. She was wearing a suit. Her brown hair was tied back in a ponytail, and her green eyes were strangely both bright and sharp. Her face clearly showed her young age, and she was almost the same height as me. I had seen many women more beautiful than her, but she had her own unique aura.

“I hope I haven’t kept you waiting too long, Mr. Inferesse.”

“No, I haven’t waited long, Ms. Bluelet.”

Margaret sat down in the chair opposite me and immediately signaled to the servants in the room to leave. The servants simply bowed their heads once without saying a word and left the room. As the door closed, Margaret took a deep breath. Her green eyes were on me.

“First of all… thank you for your help in getting me this position.”

This matter, of course…

I took a small sip of the tea offered before speaking.

“You’re welcome. I believe that for people in our position today, the best thing is to have as many valuable allies as possible.”

I glanced at the decorations in the room, as if implying something with my eyes.

“And it seems my investment has borne fruit.”

Margaret Bluelet was silent for a moment after what I said. But it didn’t take long for her to start talking again.

“I’ll get straight to the point.”

I took one last sip from my glass, then placed it on the table and took my hands off it, focusing all my attention on the woman in front of me. She continued.

“Neither of us is in a very good position. However, I have seen and continue to see that your vision and abilities are far ahead of mine. My situation is simply… a little better, that’s all. Despite this, you helped me and emphasized in your message that the alliance formed by previous family heads continues.”

She seemed a little… tense, to be honest. She maintained her composure and poise well, but she also had an uneasiness about her. The reason for this became clear with her next words.

“You want something from me… from the Bluelet Family. But I haven’t figured out what it is yet, and I’m curious.”

Now… how should I take advantage of this opportunity?

The Bluelet Family will become quite valuable in the future, and Margaret Bluelet is considered talented. So they are definitely worth having as allies. Especially since everything is still in its early stages and I need all the help I can get.

Moreover… even though I didn’t cause it myself, Margaret knows that she became the family head thanks to me. So she trusts me, even if a little. Of course, she’s also wary because she fears I might use her. That’s why she arranged this meeting in the first place, to figure out my true intentions… or at least get an idea.

Hmm.

I know what to do.

“First, let me make you an offer.”

Margaret Bluelet quickly focused her attention on what I was about to say.

“I’m currently part of a separate alliance consisting of seven families, including mine. And I’m considered to have quite a bit of influence within this alliance. I can bring the Bluelet Family into this alliance. This would benefit both the alliance and you, if your goal is to rise rather than just keep the family stable where it is.”

In short, one of my goals was to increase my overall power by including the Bluelet Family in the alliance I was part of.

“My offer aside, if I’m not mistaken, you own a small restaurant chain with three branches, even though it makes up a tiny portion of your income. Since Inferesse’s financial situation is close to collapse, I’m revising our income sources, and one of my ideas is to create a bar chain. Even though you’re only a restaurant owner, I think you could help me with this.”

I don’t think it will be of much benefit… but if I can convince her on this matter, my start will be much more refined.

“And finally… I’m looking for someone with their sights set a little higher these days.”

Margaret, who had been listening to me silently and impassively until now, paused for a moment. There was an expression on her face as if she didn’t quite understand what I was saying, so I continued.

“I mentioned our alliance of seven families to you earlier. But to be honest… I can’t say their way of thinking suits me very well.”

I raised my finger and pointed at the ceiling.

“My goal is to rise higher and higher in the hierarchy. Maybe it seems greedy because I’m on the verge of collapse, but I want to take my family much higher than they are now. And I can’t really say they share that mentality. I barely managed to get them on this path, and I’m not even sure how greedy they are.”

I slowly lowered my finger from the ceiling and turned it toward Margaret, who was standing in front of me.

“But I hope you might be different.”

Her green eyes were completely focused on my finger.

“Apart from that alliance, I’m sort of… looking for a comrade, and I think you’re the best person I can reach for that role right now.”

I withdrew my finger, and Margaret’s eyes turned back to me.

“My goals, at least for now, are only these.”

Margaret thought for a moment after my explanation. But ultimately accepted all my offers.

I would see how productive my decision was in the future, adding the Bluelet Family to those I would exploit if necessary, or using them appropriately, but simply put, another family had been added to my list of helpers.

The future looked bright for now.

Oh, and also…

“Ah, and one more thing…”

I had forgotten to mention something during the meeting.

“Additionally, I forgot to mention that I came to take him back.”

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